Sensible medicine is an approach to treatment that seeks a balance along the spectrum of the strength of evidence and the pace of knowledge translation. On one hand, a hawkish interventionist has little doubt about the effectiveness of a new treatment and rapidly adopts it into practice. There is a tendency to favor adoption of the new, acceptance of less rigor in research methods and results, and a glance away from subconscious biases. This contrasts with the medical nihilist who is highly skeptical of new evidence and hopes to intervene even less. The medical nihilist is certain of the futility of treatment, ineffectiveness of most medications, and corrupting influence of financial incentives. In the middle is a sensible approach, which acknowledges that some interventions are effective but, perhaps, confidence should be tempered. With sensible medicine, the translation of knowledge to the bedside is appropriately calibrated to the rigor and reasoning of the available evidence and the severity of the outcome to be avoided.
